Skyline Airport

I had a long time friend that was what is often referred to as an "UNUSUAL CHARACTER".

He was the starter/flagman at the old Devil's Bowl race track when it was located on John West Road, west of North Bucker Boulevard (Loop 12). He was struck by an out of control racer and injured. He returned the next week fearing he would lose his job.

He was a second for wrestlers at the Sportatorium and was part of the "ACT" several time when the bad guy would drag him over the ropes and slam him to the floor. He often talked of the wrestlers of the time, Fritz Von Erich, Wahoo McDaniel and Danny Hodge being his favorites.

I recall him telling me after discharge from the Navy after World War II, he used some of his educational benefits in an effort to obtain a Private Pilot's License. He also told me his second flight after his first solo, he crashed injuring his wife and himself.

I located a newspaper article regarding the incident of October 13, 1947 and it describes the crash at the Skyline Airport. I was always of the impression he took his training at the old Hampton Airport, later Clearview Airport.

I checked the Internet site regarding old and abandoned airports and I find no Skyline Airport. Anybody have any information as to where it was located? He was born and raised in the Lisbon area of Oak Cliff and was living on Denley Drive, just south of Illinois Avenue when the crash occurred.

DallasCop2566 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> [> I recall him telling me after discharge from the
> Navy after World War II, he used some of his
> educational benefits in an effort to obtain a
> Private Pilot's License. He also told me his
> second flight after his first solo, he crashed
> injuring his wife and himself.
>
> I located a newspaper article regarding the
> incident of October 13, 1947 and it describes the
> crash at the Skyline Airport. I was always of the
> impression he took his training at the old Hampton
> Airport, later Clearview Airport.
>
> I checked the Internet site regarding old and
> abandoned airports and I find no Skyline Airport.
> Anybody have any information as to where it was
> located? He was born and raised in the Lisbon
> area of Oak Cliff and was living on Denley Drive,
> just south of Illinois Avenue when the crash
> occurred.[/b]

Roy -

I have this from some old notes but not sure of the source. Am pretty sure its is shown on some period maps also. Will check.

M C, the airport at the southwest corner of US Highway 77 and Danieldale Road was originally Lou Foote Airport (named for the operator), and later Highway 77 Airport. It was open as late as 1970, and is not shown on the 1971 Dallas sectional chart. The airport is visible in the 1952, 1956, and 1968 aerial photography on Historic Aerials.

Here's the southern Dallas page on Paul Freeman's Airfields-Freeman site. It has a good writeup on Lou Foote Airport.

Also, where would Bonnie View have crossed Forest Avenue? There are multiple unconnected segments of Bonnie View, and what was Forest Avenue (now MLK) becomes Cedar Crest (splits off from MLK) as it approaches South Lamar, and crosses over the Trinity River.

Before they extended East Kiest Boulevard and renamed Forest Avenue Road to Cedar Crest Boulevard from the Trinity River west and south into Oak Cliff, the old maps I have found show Forest Avenue Road intersecting Bonnieview Road just northeast of Stella Avenue. At Stella Avenue Forest Avenue Road terminates and the roadway became Cedar Crest Boulevard.

M.C. sent me an email showing where Skyline Airport was located, with the entrance off Forest Avenue Road at Birdsong Street.

I told M.C. I worked that Beat in 1970 and never realized there had been an airport there. I found some County Records that show it closed in 1949 and the flight school and remaining aircraft were relocated to Lou Foote Field.

In the country records were numerous law suits against Skyline Airport due to noise, low flying aircraft and fence damages of bordering property owners. I think the owners of Skyline Airport were forced to close and relocate.

sharkins Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> M C, the airport at the southwest corner of US
> Highway 77 and Danieldale Road was originally Lou
> Foote Airport (named for the operator), and later
> Highway 77 Airport. It was open as late as 1970,
> and is not shown on the 1971 Dallas sectional
> chart. The airport is visible in the 1952, 1956,
> and 1968 aerial photography on Historic Aerials.
>

Thanks, good reference.

It seems that the Skyline Airport on Forrest closed about the same time Lou Foote was renamed Highway 77 Airport. A couple of DMN articles indicate the operator of Skyline then leased a part of Highway 77 Airport and operated the Skyline Flying School there. O L Nelms and a partner bought the Highway 77 Airport in 1950 and the report states the purchase would not affect the portion leased by Skyline.

The Freeman account indicates Highway 77 Airport was informally known by other names during its existence. References as Skyline continue into the late 1950s.

The original Skyline Airport had about 30 T hangars built from aluminum aircraft scrap gathered at Camp Howze in Gainesville. It was plagued by a number or problems with nearby homeowners and numerous crashes and deaths. At one point residents erected flagpoles to thwart low flying aircraft which resulted in a protracted legal battle. After closure the site was partially developed for industrial sites and a Negro housing project which has since been demolished.

It still looks like a place to dump bodies as Roy investigated in 1970.

Speaking of mid-last century airfields in the same general area of the county:

There was a small private air field somewhere in the Cedar Hill - Danieldale - Duncanville area that hosted Dallas Cowboy viewers during the time that home games were blacked out on local television. The air field was on a relatively high elevation, and had a tall antenna, probably related to aviation. But, it was able to pick up a Wichita Falls television broadcast of the game, at least video, though audio was poor quality. So, the personnel set up several television screens around a hanger, tuned the audio down, and picked up the KRLD am radio broadcast of the game to provide play by play broadcast. People brought chairs, drinks, food, and watched the game. I think the air field may have had a snack bar or brought in a food trailer for the games, also. They must have had a way to get some revenue out of the deal, but of course could not charge for the game.

What was the name of the field? It might have been on Wheatland Road, but maybe not. As I recall, there was no paving, only turf for both runways and plane tie downs.

Noticed on the Abandoned and Little Used Airfields website that Flyer's Field, that was located where Mountain View College is currently, is now listed with a few pics and some comments from yours truly.